


The Inquisitor's Relative

by momentarilydreaming



Category: Cullen Rutherford - Fandom, Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Fanfiction - Fandom
Genre: Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Lyrium, Lyrium Addiction, Lyrium Withdrawal, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3291668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momentarilydreaming/pseuds/momentarilydreaming
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Inquisitor has brought a relative to Skyhold and Commander Cullen is responsible for training her, since she has no previous experience in combat. Surprisingly, she's shown promise and even more surprisingly, he's found himself drawn to her in a way he can't explain. However, he knows little about her and why she was brought to Skyhold. </p>
<p>(I will be changing the warnings and stuff, since it'll be getting NSFW in the sections to follow!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Inquisitor's Relative

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fanfiction and it's in progress! I'm an Inquisitor and Cullen fan, but I ended up mixing it up a bit, originally focusing on a short smut between Cullen and the Inquisitor but I couldn't make it fit and I just got writing! I messed with the conventional Inquisitor X Cullen romance thing (the whole relative thing was entirely random and just popped into my head), I kinda just wanted to change up the dynamics of stuff and I had difficulties writing Evelyn (really bad at naming characters, this is just the first name that was given to my character when I started playing Inquisition so I went with that) as the Inquisitor since I'd already established her personality before writing it. To me, her character just didn't fit as the Inquisitor. 
> 
> Well anyway, this is the first finished section. I've got loads of random paragraphs bunched together for ideas, and I'll get sorting them out soon!

He sat at his desk, eyes half shut  and hands softly rubbing his temples. A headache had began to set and he was doing his best to ignore it. He'd not long spoken to Cassandra about finding a replacement for lyrium and she'd shot him down completely. The withdrawal symptoms were starting to affect his work, he'd said. He found himself becoming much shorter with people since not taking it, more aggressive and like the man he used to be. He thought that not taking it would rid him of that man and the things he did, turns out it's just making him remember more.   
   Soft clicks on his door woke him from his day-dreaming. He thought it was Cassandra again and stayed silent, he always valued her advice but he couldn't listen to it again. His plain, wooden box sat on the table in front of him surrounded by paperwork and inkwells, containing his last supply of lyrium. He'd stopped taking it before he finished that  batch and for some reason just... left it on his desk. His eyes opened wider as he wondered to himself,  _w hat if I stopped after all this is over? _ __   
Another soft click. The door was partially open anyway, and he saw whoever it was gently push it open. He stood from his desk and another twinge of pain radiated through his forehead. He was ready to tell Cassandra to leave him be, before small, pale hands wrapped around the door and a head poked through.    
   "Are you busy, Commander?" She asked in her quiet, question ing  voice. "I can come back later if you like?"   
   "E-Evelyn.  Ye- I mean no, no I'm not busy," he stuttered as she walked through the door. He was expecting Cassandra to barge through, continui ng their heated discussion from earlier. His eyes drew downwards at his unorganised desk and he began nervously shuffling the papers into a pile.   
    "Well, I was wondering if you had a minute to talk?"   
She walked inside and he took the opportunity to steal a glance at her. Her hair was thick and just brushed her shoulders. She was growing it, she'd said to him not long after they met. She'd had short hair for as long as she could remember and decided it was time for a change. He remembered the blush that had spread over his face when she had asked what he thought of it. His mind snapped back to the present and he replied.   
    "Of course, what would you like to talk about?"   
    She shuffled her feet and looked down, her dark eyebrows furrowing together.   
"Well I've-" she paused and pursed her lips, and he knew what she was about to talk about. Cassandra had spoken to her. He sighed. Cassandra knew that the Inquisitor had sought Cullen out to train his relative. However, he was unaware that Cassandra had even acknowledged Evelyn's existence and knew anything of their talks. He would have to discuss this with Cassandra later.    
    "I've been speaking to Cassandra and, well, she said that you... Never-mind, it's none of my business. I'm sorry I bothered you. " She turned as if to leave and his eyes went wide, almost impulsively, he replied:   
    "No no, not at all. Don't leave. "   
   Her eyes looked up at him as she stepped further into the room. He couldn't draw away from them. She took one of the chairs near his desk and sat herself down, staring up at his broken ceiling. She half laughed, and said:   
    "You really need to get that fixed, everyone's starting to think you like it."   
   He paced several steps and half smiled at her.   
   "I'm starting to think _I_  might like  it." He paused for a moment, and then thought the best way to start was by just throwing himself into it.   
   "I'd been taking lyrium for years." She gave a small nod to show she was listening and expected him to carry on. "I was a Templar, as you knew. We were given it to make us  _ better_. I imagine you are aware of Templars and lyrium, though." He frowned at that.  _Better_. He always had to be better.    
   "It changed me, and I didn’t even realise. Since I joined the Inquisition, I'd been feeling more like a new man. Like I  _could _  be a new man." He paused, he didn't know where this was coming from. He'd not spoken about why he'd actually stopped taking it before, and was surprised to find himself confiding in her.   
   "Are you sure you didn't just find  out who you were all along?" She questioned  in a gentle tone. It was like she didn't even judge him. If only she'd seen him.   
   "Maybe. I hadn't thought of it like that." He turned away from her and stared into the dark wood bookcase, like he often did. One of his hands rubbed the side of his head, which had eased off for a short time but now sent  waves of pressure  through his skull.    
   She had stood up and paced over to him and he hadn't realised until she placed a hand on his armor-clad shoulder. He turned swiftly, surprised at her sudden closeness.   
   "I'm sorry you had to go through that." Her brows were furrowed with concern as she took her other arm and stood on tip toes, wrapping them around his neck. He was surprised and, couldn't think. He didn't ever think she would ever be this close. He lent down and held her waist with his firm hands.His head rested on her shoulder and they just held each other. He felt himself open up, which he hadn't done for a long time. Despite the armor he always wore, he felt open toher.    
   She slid her arms down from his neck and he raised his head from her shoulder. He could feel how open she was here, how comfortable she was. He thought about this moment before but... never thought it would happen. She was a relative of the Inquisitor, and they hadn’t spoken much about how she came to Skyhold, but in their training she had opened up about her feelings towards the Chantry and Templar Order. She was respectful, however it was evident she had thought very little of them both, and Cullen believed this had something to do with her being sent away from the Free Marshes. The Inquisitor had escorted her here himself and sought out Cullen, asking him to train her since she grew up with very little combat knowledge. She had seen the Templar's training, however this was about as experienced as she got.    
   He was surprised to find -despite her feelings towards Templars and having the Knight Commander train her- that she was determined and learned quickly. He was even more surprised to find themselves talking more and more, and finding her company refreshing.   
   Her eyebrows were furrowed and he couldn't stop himself looking down at her, tracing the lines of her face with his eyes and straying to her lips. She had a small, worried smile on her face and she looked so small and young just then, despite her curves and the way she always walked, her stride so confident and sure. She was always so forward with her opinions, brash almost. It was surprising to see her like this.    
Her face flushed, “Cullen, I’m-” she paused and looked away awkwardly, moving as if to walk away. His broad hand moved to her cheek without even thinking, tracing her jawline while her eyes widened in surprise. She felt the warmth of his hands, the way he cupped her face and the rough skin of his thumb brush that sensitive spot under her ear.    
   The loud, sudden knock of the door startled them both, making them jump. Cullen quickly pulled his hand away from her face, blushing deeply and moving away. Evelyn shuffled, not knowing where to move or stand.   
   ”Yes?” Cullen walked to the door of his office, “Inquisitor? What brings you here?”   
   ”Good afternoon, Cullen.” He saw Evelyn and looked surprised, but that quickly fell into a smile. Cullen could see they were related, they had the same dark, thick hair and their eyes were both the color of emeralds. Evelyn’s had brown specks, making them almost seem hazel some days.    
   ”Oh, Lady Trevelyan, you’re already here. Excellent.” He walked to her, took her in a close hug briefly and released her.   
   ”Sydell” she smiled, albeit nervously, Cullen noticed.   
   ”I’ve come to see if you’ve anything to report, and since Evelyn is already here, I suppose you can give me an overview on how combat training is going.”   
   Cullen hadn’t always been fond of the Inquisitor, he found him to be stubborn and didn’t immediately trust him when he was suddenly presented as the Herald of Andraste with an anchor seemingly attached to his hand. However, he had won him over, showing immense bravery and commitment during the attack on Haven. He had stayed behind and faced Corypheus on his own, and that was something Cullen deeply respected him for. He broke out of his thoughts and replied.   
   ”Ah, yes. Me and Evelyn were actually just discussing training and how well she’s been doing.” Cullen paused, taking a glance at Evelyn and seeing her wave of relief. Cullen hadn’t spoken to the Inquisitor about his  lyrium  withdrawals, his intense headaches and night terrors. He had decided that it was best for Sydell not to be thinking about it. “We were training with sword and shield, and were thinking of trying daggers for her, since it would be lighter and she shows promise. I think trying out different weapons will benefit her.”   
Sydell smiled and nodded. “Excellent. I trust you will be fine teaching her the use of these weapons, or would you rather me find another trainer if you feel you’re too busy?”   
   ”Oh, no of course not. You asked me to train her, and I’ve enough time to do so.” Cullen’s eyes widened when the Inquisitor asked him, and he’s pretty sure that he noticed.   
   ”Oh, well fair enough.” Sydell paused, and carried on. “If you’ve no news for me Cullen and everything is going well, then I best be off. I have other matters to attend to.”    
   He nodded at Cullen, and went to leave when he paused at the door, turning around. “Oh, and _sister_?” he paused, and Cullen almost couldn’t hold back the surprise.   
 _Sister.  
_   “Cole told me he was looking for you. Said something about… well, I don’t really know. You know how Cole is, you seem to understand him better than me. You’ll have to talk to him.”    
  The Inquisitor left after giving one last nod at Cullen.  
 _Sister. He wondered why they looked so alike, but the Inquisitor looked at least twenty years her senior. He just assumed..._


End file.
